New Guinea impatiens plant named ‘Kibarbu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Fuinea Impatiens plant named ‘Kibarbu’, characterized by its large soft orange-colored flowers; upright and compact growth habit; freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Kibarbu’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop early-flowering varieties with numerous flowers, freely-branching and uniform plant habit, attractive flower and foliage colors, and good flower form.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the proprietary selection identified as W556 as the male, or pollen parent, with the proprietary selection identified as O22 as the female, or seed parent.

The cultivar ‘Kibarbu’ was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany, in April, 1997.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kibarbu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kibarbu’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large soft orange-colored flowers.

2. Upright and compact growth habit.

3. Freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit.

4. Dark green leaves.

Plants of the new cultivar can be compared to plants of the commercial cultivar ‘Xanthia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,305. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Xanthia’ in the following characteristics:

1. Leaves of plants of the new cultivar are slightly smaller than leaves of plants of the cultivar ‘Xanthia’ and differ in vein color.

2. Flowers of plants of the new cultivar are a lighter orange color than flowers of plants of the cultivar ‘Xanthia’.

3. Plants of the new cultivar have slightly larger and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar ‘Xanthia’.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivars ‘Kibarbu’ and ‘Xanthia’ appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of the cultivar ‘Kibarbu’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a comparison close-up view of typical flower buds, flowers and upper and lower surfaces of leaves of the cultivars ‘Kibarbu’ (left) and ‘Xanthia’ (right). Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Kibarbu’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 25-cm hanging baskets in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 23° C., night temperatures averaging 19° C., and light levels about 3,000 foot-candles. Plants were about 17 weeks old after planting a rooted cutting.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar ‘Kibarbu’.

Commercial.—New Guinea Impatiens cultivar ‘Kibarbu’.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as W556.

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as O22.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days with 20° C. soil temperature.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days with 20° C. soil temperature.

Root description.—Fine and fibrous.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and V-shaped; compact.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely branching, dense and bushy growth. Appropriate for 10 to 25-cm containers.

Crop time.—For finished flowering plants grown in a 10-cm container, about 8 to 10 weeks from rooted cuttings are required; for finished flowering plants grown in a 25-cm container, about 17 weeks from rooted cuttings are required.

Plant size.—Height: About 17 cm. Width or spread: About 26 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity: About 8. Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 2.75 cm. Color: 146B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, opposite or in whorls, horizontal to plant. Mostly flat. Length: About 10.25 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire with ciliation. Texture: Smooth, somewhat shiny. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 144A. Young foliage, lower surface: 146D. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147l A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147D. Venation, lower surface: 147D. Petiole: Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: 148D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Soft orange-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about 8 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned just above the foliage and face upward and outward. Flowers rounded rectangular and mostly flat. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower size.—Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Depth: About 2 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 32A to 32B.

Petals.—Quantity: Five. Length: Upper petal: About 2.8 cm. Middle petals: About 2.8 cm. Lower petals: About 3.2 cm. Width: Upper petal: About 4.4 cm. Middle petals: About 2.5 cm. Lower petals: About 3.5 cm. Sjape: Cordate. Apex: Cordate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Velvety, smooth; slightly iridescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: 32B. When opening, lower surface: 43D. Fully opened, upper surface: 32A; base, 66B; color fading to 32b with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 38A.

Spur.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 45A with green, 144A, apex.

Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Color: 144C tingled with 38B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 3 mm by 5 mm. Anther color: 8D. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 4D. Gynoecium: Five-Loculate fused. Pistil number: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma color: 4C. Ovary color: 144C.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogens common to New Guinea Impatiens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

CHART A CHARACTERISTIC ‘KIBARBU’ ‘XANTHIA’ LEAF LENGTH About 10.25 cm About 12 cm LEAF WIDTH About 3.3 cm About 3.5 cm LEAF VEIN 147D 59D COLOR, UPPER SURFACE LEAF VEIN 147D 59B COLOR, LOWER SURFACE PETIOLE LENGTH About 1.8 cm About 3.75 cm PETIOLE COLOR 148D 182A FLOWER About 6 by 5.5 cm About 5.5 by 5 cm DIAMETER PETAL COLOR, 32A; base, 66B 40A MATURE, UPPER SURFACE PETAL COLOR, 38A 40C MATURE, UPPER SURFACE PETAL COLOR, 32A 40B to 40C FADING TO SPUR LENGTH About 6.5 cm About 5 cm SPUR COLOR 45A; apex, 144A 59A PEDUNCLE About 5.5 cm About 5 cm LENGTH PEDUNCLE COLOR 144C tinged with 38B 144B tinged with 59A 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named 